Front end loaders



July 2 1965 G. R. DEMPSTER ETAL 3,195,748

FRONT END LOADERS Original Filed July 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR I GEORGE E UEHRSJ'ER WILLIAM A. HERPKH N211. F. WEA/OER ATTORNEY5 BY v y 1965 G. R. DEMPSTER ETAL 3,195,748

FRONT END LOADERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 14, 1959' WILLIAM H. HERP/crl NEIL E warm/5R United States Patent 0 3,195,748 FRONT END LOADERS George R. Dempster, R0. Box 3127, Knoxville 17, Tenn; William A. Herpich, 739 Hardin Way W., Gallon, Ohio; and Neil F. Wonder, 1 .8. Box 3127, Knoxville 17, Tenn; Trust Elompany of Georgia, executor of said George R. Dempster, deceased Original application July 14, 1959, Ser. No. 827,007, now Patent No. 3,978,009, dated Feb. 19, 1963. Divided and this application Aug. 3, 1962, er. No. 214,755

6 Claims. (Cl. 214302) This application is a division of our application Serial No. 827,007, filed July 14, 1959, now Patent No. 3,078,000, dated February 19, 1963.

This invention relates to improvements in Front End Loaders of the character used for picking up containers at the front end of a motor vehicle and dumping the contents therefrom into the body of the vehicle.

In former devices as manufactured heretofore, lifting arms have been provided on a motor vehicle, pivotally mounted on the chassis of the vehicle for rotary movement about an axis located behind the cab and adjacent the chassis frame. At the opposite ends of the lifting arms, fork arms are mounted on a torque tube journaled in the front end portions of the lifting arms and operated to provide for swinging movements with respect to the lifting anms. These fork arms engage a container and lift the container during the dumping cycle of movement.

The lifting arms provided heretofore usually have been operated by a cylinder or cylinders mounted on the chassis frame, acting through lever members which profeet below the axis of rotation of the lifting .arms and connected with the latter through a torque tube or directly. In such case, the cylinders are operated on a pushing motion imparted to the lever arms for raising the lifting arms.

One object of this invention is to reduce the amount of force required to lift the arms with their maximum load and to provide a front end loader structure lighter in weight and at less cost.

This object may be accomplished by mounting the power cylinders directly in line with the lifting arms and connecting the cylinders directly with the lifting arms through tie plates mounted thereon.

In such front end loader mechanism, it has been customary practice to dump the contents of the container directly into the body through an opening or hopper provided thereon. Frequently, due to variations in the relative size of the container and the hopper opening, it is dimcult to direct the container far enough into the hopper opening .to prevent blowing of the material out of the compaction body as it is being discharged from the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide shielding means in such position during dumping of the container as fro-prevent the blowing of the material out of the compaction body and yet will not cause extra height on the compaction body itself during operation of the equipment in traveling position.

This object may be accomplished by providing a pair of shields fastened to the lifting arms and carried by the latter, so that normally these shields are below the top of the body during movement of the vehicle in traveling position, but are so disposed as to cause a directing of the refuse in the body when the container is moved to its discharge position.

One embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle to which the invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a partial top plan view thereof, showing a portion of one of the lifting arms and its operating cylinder, and taken substantially on the line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detail side elevation showing the lifting arms in dumping position;

FIG. 4 is a cross section threthrough on the line 4-4 in FIG. 3; and

*FIG. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 in FIG 3.

The invention is shown as applied to a motor vehicle of conventional form, merely as an example of the type of vehicle on which this loading device may be used. It has been customary heretofore to utilize a vehicle chassis of the character generally indicated by the numeral 1, and it has a chassis frame supported by road wheels 2 and which is self-propelled. The vehicle has the usual cab 3 for accommodation of the operator.

A refuse body is shown at 4 mounted on the chassis 1. This may be any suitable or desired type of body adapted to receive refuse therein, such as garbage, trash, and the like, and may be of the character that is provided with power means to compress the refuse as it is deposited in the body. It is preferred that the body 4 be of the type which has a filling opening or hopper, generally indicated at 5, in the top thereof near the front through which refuse can be directed into the body.

The loader structure comprises a pair of lifting arms 6 spaced apart a distance substantially of the width of the cab 3. These arms 6 preferably are of gooseneck shape or of inverted U-shape, so as to cxend upwardly and downwardly in back of the cab =3, substantially as illustrated in FIG. 1. The arms 6 preferably should clear the cab fully and should be located within the lateral confines of the body.

At their back ends, the arms 6 extend downwardly to a transverse torque tube or pivot, generally indicated at 7, journaled in suitable hearings on the base frame of the body 4. This torque tube 7 preferably extends transversely of the vehicle throughout the width thereof and has the lower ends of both opposite lifting arms 6 mounted or journaled thereon for independent or joint operation, as desired. It is preferred that these be fixed :to the torque tube for unitary operation, although they may function independently, if preferred. I

The lifting arms 6 are adapted for operation by hydraulic cylinders 8, one for each lifting arm. Each of the cylinders 8 has its closed end anchored at 9 on a pivot secured to the base frame of the body 4, as illustrated in :FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Each cylinder 8 extends forwardly from the pivot 9 and has its piston rod 19 extending in direct longitudinal alignment with the adjacent lifting arm 6, as will be apparent from FIG. 2.

The front end of the piston rod 10 is connected with a pivot pin 11 that extends between tie plates 12. secured by welding or otherwise in embracing relation with opposite sides of the adjacent lifting arm 6, substantially as illustrated in FIG. 1. The pivot axis 11 is on the opposite side of an upright transverse plane through the axis of the torque tube 7 from the cylinder 8, when the lifting arms 6 are in their lowered positions for picking up a container. The location of the tie plates 12, somewhat above the torque tube 7, disposes the line of the cylinder 8 and piston rod 10 at a suflicient angle to impart the required pulling and pushing motions to effect movement of the lifting arms even under the weight normally encountered.

This connects the main lifting arm cylinder 8 directly with each of the lifting arms and provides an effective connection which reduces the amount of force required to lift the arm with its maximum load. This results in a loader structure which is lighter in weight and one that may be built at less cost than the construction provided heretofore.

I? a d At the front end portions of the lifting arms 6, these lifting arms are connected together by a torque tube 13 adapted'to be operated by power cylinders 14. I Mounted V on the torque'tribegl-S are fork arms adapted for de-' tachable engagement with a container sitting on the ground for picking up and dumping the container into the hopper or opening 5. The fork arms 15 are in an intermediate position in FIG. 1. During normal picking up of the container, these fork arms would be moving substantially to horizontal position by the cylinders 14. V

In dumping the container, the lifting arms 6 are elevated from the full line positions shown in FIG. 1, substantially to the dotted line position therein, and appropriate movement of the fork arms 15 would also be effected relative to the lifting arms 6 for accomplishing this dumping action.

Inasmuch as both the lifting frame and the cylinders 8 are mounted on the body 4, this combination makes it possible to mount the entire refuse handling equipment as one unit on the chassis of a conventional truck. In that manner, the lifting frame and body can be built as one unit and assembled completely at the factory for'attachment to the truck on which it is to 'be operated. This has a commercial advantage inasmuch as it assures proper operation of the lifting mechanism by having the parts .p-re-assembled at the factory and then assembled on the vehicle as a unit.

With some types of containers and due to the dumping action involved by the operator, some of the refuse may be blown out of the hopper opening of the body with the loader structure provided heretofore. Ex-tenmany instances, due to the added height that would be required for the body, especially in traveling position.

This difiiculty has been solved, according to this invention, by providing elongated plate-like hopper extensions, generally indicated at 16, on the respective lifting arms 6 and secured thereto, so as to be carried by these lifting arms. Each hopper extension '16 extends at an acute angle to the length of the downturned front end portion of each lifting arm 6 and is so mounted with respect thereto as to be disposed substantially horizontal over the adjacent edge of the hopper 5 when the lifting arm is in its dumping position, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1 and in full lines in FIG. 3.

Each hopper extension 16 may be in the form of an elongated plate, solid, perforated, reticulated, expanded metal, etc. In the form shown as an example, it is suitably braced .by outturned flanges 17 on the periphery thereof and with intermediate bracing at 18. The lower 7 edge of the hopper extension 16 may be provided with a 1 tends laterally from the hopper extension 1 6 and is sions on the top of the hopper would be objectionable in 7 welded or otherwise secured to the adjacent anchor plate 211 which secures the adjacent cylinder 14 to the lifting arm 6. The front end portion of the hopper extension 16 is also anchored to the lifting arm 6 by a spacer block,

indicated at 22 in FIG. 5, which may be welded to the lifting arm 6.

The lifting arms 6 are shown as provided with stop member-s, indicated at 23, on the inner faces thereof beside the hopper extensions 16 in positions to strike the top of the hopper and limit the movement in one direction, with the lifting arms in proper dumping positions.

When the lifting arms 6 are in their dumping positions, these hopper extensions 16 will prevent the flowing of material out of the hopper and assure that the contents will be dumped effectively from the container into the body of the vehicle. They may extend upward sufficiently high so as to receive the container therebetween and afford the required extension on the hopper for the effective discharge of the contents. At the same time, these extensions, being carried on the front end portions of the lifting arms, will be lowered with the lifting arms, so as to have a standard low-sided hopper when the arms are down in traveling positions. The extensions will not add appreciably to the weight of the arms, being formed of light-weight sheet metahscreen, or expanded metal, etc., and, therefore, may be raised and lowered with substantially no increase in force required and are effective for the purpose described.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in one embodiment, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein, without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.

We claim:

1. In a front end loader .of the character described, the combination with a motor vehicle of the type having a chassis frame, a body on the frame adapted to receive material therein, and an operators cab in front of the body, of a loading mechanism comprising an elongated frame extending lengthwise of the vehicle and having means on the front end portion thereof to lift a container over the cab. to a dumping position and to dump the contents therefrom into the top of the body, means pivotally mounting the rear endportion of the frame on the body for upward swinging movement to said dumping position, and power devices at opposite sides of the body, means mounting each power device at one end on the body and at the opposite end on'the lifting frame.

2. In a front end loader of the character described, the combination with a motor vehicle of the type having a chassis frame, a body on the frame adapted to receive material therein, and an o erators cab in front of the body, of a loading mechanism comprising an elongated frame extending lengthwise of the vehicle and having means on the front end portion thereof to lift a container over the cab to a dumping position and to dump the contents therefrom into the top of the body, means pivotally mounting the rear end portion of the frame on the body for upward swinging movement to said dumping position, and power devices at oppositesides of the body, means mounting each power device at one end on the body and at the opposite end on the lifting frame at a point between the front end portion thereof and the pivotal mounting means.

3. In a front end loader of the character described, the combination with a motor vehicle of the type having a chassis frame, a body on the frame adapted to receive material therein, and an operators cab in front of the body, of a loading mechanism comprising an elongated frame extending lengthwise of the vehicle and having means on the front end portion thereof to lift a container over the cab to a dumping position and to dump the contents therefrom into the top of the body, means pivotally mounting the rear end portion of the frame on the body for upward swinging movement to said dumping position, said frame in the lowered position thereof including portions inclined upwardly and forwardly from the pivot means, and elongated power devices at opposite sides of the body, means pivotally mounting each power device at one end thereof on the body and at the opposite end on the upwardly and forwardly extending portions of the lifting frame.

4. In a front end leader of the character described, the combination with a motor vehicle of the type having a chassis frame, a body on the chassis vframe adapted to receive material therein, and an operators cab on the chassis frame in front of the body, of a loading mechanism comprising a pair of arms having means on the front end portions thereof to lift a container over the cab to a dumping position and to dump the contents therefrom into the top portion of the body, means pivotally mounting the rear end portions of the arms on the body for upward swinging movement to said dumping position, and hydraulic cylinders at opposite sides of the body, means mounting each hydraulic cylinder at one end on the body and at the opposite end on the adjacent arm at a point forwardly of the pivot means.

5. In a front end loader of the character described, the combination with a motor vehicle of the type having a chassis frame, a body on the chassis frame adapted to receive material therein, and an operators cab on the chassis frame in front of the body, of a loading mechanism comprising a pair of arms having means on the front end portions thereof to lift a container over the cab to a dumping position and to dump the contents therefrom into the top portion of the body, means pivota'lly mounting the rear end portions of the arms on the body for upward swinging movement to said dumping position, and hydraulic cylinders at opposite sides of the body, means mounting each hydraulic cylinder at one end on the body and at the opposite end on the adjacent arm at a point forwardly of the pivot means and in longitudinal alignment with said arm.

6. In a front end loader of the character described, the combination with a motor vehicle of the type having a chassis frame, a body on the chassis frame adapted to receive material therein, and an operators cab on the chassis frame in front of the body, of a loading mech anism comprising a pair of arms having means on the front end portions thereof to lift a container over the cab to a dumping position and to dump the contents therefrom into the top portion of the body, means pivotally mounting the rear end portions of the arms on the body for upward swinging movement to said dumping position, said arms in their lowered positions having portions extending upwardly and forwardly from said pivot means, and hydraulic cylinders at opposite sides of the body, means mounting each hydraulic cylinder at one end on the body and at the opposite end on the adjacent arm at a point forwardly of the pivot means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,441,591 5/48 Owen 214-78 2,703,227 3/55 Hughes 214-78 X 2,808,161 10/57 Gentile 214-302 2,824,655 2/58 Harbors 2l478 2,885,101 5/59 Aldredgeet a1, 214-302 2,900,096 8/59 Dempster et a1 214-302 HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

ERNEST A. FALLER, JR., Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,195 748 July 20 1965 George R. Dempster et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shmm below:

In the heading to the printed specification, lines 3 to 7, "George R. Dempster, P. O. Box 3127, Knoxville 17, Tenn. William A. Herpich, 739 Hardin Way W. Galion, Ohio; and Neil F. Wender, P. O. Box 3127, Knoxville l7, Tenn. Trust Company of Georgia, executor of said George R. Dempster, deceased" should read George R. Dempster, Knoxville, Tenn. William A. Herpich, Galion, Ohio, and Neil F. Wender, Knoxville, T611113; Trust Company of Georgia, executor of said George R. Dempster, deceased, said Herpich and said Wender assignors to Dempster Brothers, Inc.,

Knoxville, Tenn., a corporation of Tennessee Signed and sealed this 5th day of May 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN A FRONT END LOADER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, THE COMBINATION WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE OF THE TYPE HAVING A CHASSIS FRAME, A BODY ON THE FRAME ADAPTED TO RECEIVE MATERIAL THEREIN, AND AN OPERATOR''S CAB IN FRONT OF THE BODY, OF A LOADKING MECHANISM COMPRISING AN ELONGATED FRAME EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE VEHICLE AND HAVING MEANS ON THE FRONT END PORTION THEREOF TO LIFT A CONTAINER OVER THE CAB TO A DUMPING POSITION AND TO DUMP THE CONTENTS THEREFROM INTO THE TOP OF THE BODY, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING THE REAR END PORTION OF THE FRAME ON THE BODY FOR UPWARD SWINGING MOVEMENT TO SAID DUMPING POSITION, AND POWER DEVICES AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE BODY, MEANS MOUNTING EACH POWER DEVICE AT ONE END ON THE BODY AND AT THE OPPOSITE END ON THE LIFTING FRAME. 